ARTZ

Some art I checked out a while ago. I'm having camera problems so I haven't been posting. Blerg, but enjoy Toasters and thought boxes on walls. Ballerest.
That gallery was hot as balls.
I'm going to a Mets game today- have a great weekend!

Photographer Extrondinairre

Since I'm having camera-connection problems...
Hey! Time for some more self promotion. My photography is up on Culture Now!

Look! I'm a foot model!

Check it out, I posed for a picture at ICFF and it made it on to a web site. Hardy Har har.

ICFF extravanganza!

I AM EXHAUSTED!

ICFF- International Contemporary Furniture Fair, comes to a close tonight. My week (and weekend) has consisted of long days at the Javitz followed by several parties in the evening. Full of schoomzing, oogling hot (well dressed) menz, talking about furniture, designers, who knows who, etc. I must have fielded the ever popular question "How's it going?" 70 times.
I mostly loved it- but I am tuckered out. And as much as I adore seeing the same editors, designers, and furniture fans at the same events, after this evening's final party (at the Four Seasons!) I'm ready to say good bye to the incestuous world of furniture, for a few hours anyways... and hello to my bed.

I'll update more later- but here is a pic of me from last night's party at the Future Perfect-

And- MY photography for an interview on Interview Magazine's blog. BLADOW!

hi tek

"Since the 1960’s a silver, chrome or monochromatic inconspicuous box with lines or vents or small grids of holes has signified “high-tech.” This is a seductive, superficial language that so transparently tries to convince the consumer that there is advanced intelligent technology inside. This is high-tech shamanism. "

Karim Rashid

Metropolis may 2009


Karim can kinda seem like a dick in his all pink outfits, and overall sass quotient, but nothing has better described my distaste for electronic products than this statement. Why can't we move beyond the appointed aesthetics and get to some damn good design.

Whenever I need a new phone (because I've either lost it or dropped it in the toilet...) I always ask for the one that does the littlest amount of stuff. I don't want a camera on my phone, I don't want texting (thought I just recently got both) I just want the phone to do what a phone does. I want it to look like a phone, not a gadget. I want it to be pretty, or slick, or minimal. Not the 80's version of future, ala epcot center. (Hey Phillip?)

And why do sneakers have to have vents and loads of plastic pieces all over them?

Poor design.

My life without a camera

Since I've been camera-less for almost two weeks, I noticed just how much I think about taking pictures. I think it was good for me to not have a camera and experience things not through the lens. But I'm done with that, I just got my new New camera again, and I've got a fully charged battery, I'm revving to go!
Things I've done recently-sans camera

-I went to the Columbia MFA Thesis show in Long Island City. That was pretty cool, I spotted Dana Schutz, just being a supportive member of the artist community. The art was "comme-ci comme-ca" as in just so-so. There were some baller pieces, but there was some crap-ola also. As always.

-Katie, Babs, and I hollered at the Kills at the Music Hall of Willamsburg. Jamie slammed a over zelaous fan off the stage and onto the floor. It was violent, which I'm always against, but it was also fucking rock and roll. (which is never an excuse for violence!) And we all want to do Alison Mosshart, but that's usually the case.

-Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand kinda made love to me (just the tip!) at the Franz Ferdinand concert at Roseland (which I hadn't been there since high school). Franz was one of those bands I had been dying to see and never had, and then Courtney had a ticket and let me go with her and WOW! I was post-coitel after the show...

-We celebrated Tracy's birthday at the Cabin Down Below, which was amazing. My new favorite bar. Katie can tell you why...

-I went to Jordan's dinner on the floor/thrive guide launch party. AMAZING good times, new friends, and old, coming together for loving and parmasian aspargus.

-Babs, Lisa and I decided on our blog's name on Cinco de Mayo. It's called Icanttakeyouanywhere.blogspot.com but nothing's there yet so no hyperlink for you. When it launches offically I'm sure I'll blizzog all aboutz it.

Some Good Dogs

Truth be told, I lent out my point and shoot and my dSLR is broken (WHAT! After only two weeks! I know, I'm getting a new one today) so instead of cool new photos here's from my library of "practicing with the new camera." It is of really good dogs at the farmer's market. I can't wait to be a dog owner!

Summer Jamz

When seasons change, my music preferences shift. I've begun the last two winter seasons with Hot Chip and Kanye. I don't know why exactly, it just feels right. The weather in NY has been less than awesome lately, really really raining. It's been very confusing to my music shift for sunshine and spring time and warm and dresses. Today though, it is be-you-ta-ful, so I pulled out the ol' iPod and put on...
Rage Against the Machine!
I don't really listen to Rage all that often, but it felt so right for my walk to work.
I still maintain that "Killing in the Name Of" is the best song to drive to, in the history of good songs to drive to. It always comes out on top. Not that I drive that much anymore.
So RATM always makes me think of high school, and in particular a band from my high school called Nasty. They were all seniors when we were all frosh. And they were SO cool. And I got my bass lessons from the bassist, Ivan. Ankura got her guitar lessons from the guitarist, Paul. OMG we were all totally enamoured with how cool this band was.
Like for thier last concert at Battle of the Bands (!) ever before graduating and moving on to the real world of college (!) they covered Killing in the Name of and then actaully CURSED! IN THE HIGH SCHOOL! Because they could never be banned from high school's BOB again. SO BADASS.
I love how music can take you (me) to a incredibly nostalgic place.
Happy weekend, ya'll!

Nice Rack

This uber cool bike rack is located outside of Angelica's Kitchen, which last time I ate there, there was a Beastie Boy eating at the table next to me. Oh New York, Je t'aime.
I love this bike rack design, I think its really a nice departure from the traditional U-racks.
I designed a bike rack made from a trees with my pal K-larso. We're not sure what we're doing with that so I'm keeping that off da blizzog for now.

Brooklyn Designs this weekend, next weekend ICFF! I'll be a busy bee but if you're in NY holler at me and maybe I'll see you at a furniture party.

I'm such a good freestyler, you don't even know.

Domino

This is the sassy cat who resides in my office. We call her goo-face. She's a detective. We chill together.
He she is, Detective Goo-Face, on the case about the mouse, investigating.

I'm totally not a crazy cat lady.
All the time.

Hunter!

Hey ya'll- a little FYI bulletin for you!
Hunter, that school I keep going to all the MFA open studios. Yeah, they are having thier thesis show on May 13th. It will be open for a month, but the opening is that night. CHECK IT OUT!

The Whitney

Tori invited me to the pay what you can Friday at the Whitney (which may or may not be every Friday...) a few weeks ago to holler at Jenny Holtzer and some other artz.
BALLEREST!

The Whitney docents are super strict and scary, more so than any other museum or gallery I've been to in a hot minute, so I couldn't snap that many photos, and absolutely none from the Jenny Holtzer exhibition. That- by the way- was a really neat exhibit aesthetically, very cool. The text, when I spent the time to read it, was boring and political. For the record political art almost always annoys and bores me.

Jeff Koons, we went to the same school!


This is a portrait Chuck Close (who is one of my all time favs) did of Phillip Glass. I always am intrigued about artists who were friends with each other. Were they drawn to each other because they had common interests and were creative individuals? Was there something political or societal that brought them to each other? Were they friends before they were famous?
At the Art Institute of Chicago there is a print of John Cage done by Andy Warhol. Its not a particularly well known or famous piece, but it continuously intrigued me. Like were they just buds? Was Andy and his studio just playing around with print making techniques and thought it would be fun to practice with a print of John? Did they drink Buds and watch the game together? It adds this bizarre level of intimacy with the artists. A new layer of complexities with how the viewer relates to the work, to the story being told. We are allowed a new puzzle piece for the fantasy, we are given new questions to ask.
Does this add or take away from the elitism of the artist? That he interacts with other people, how does that affect our relationship with the artist?

Matthew McCaslin

Last week I headed on over to the Gering and Lopez gallery to check out the Matthew McCaslin gallery. He makes work I can really get into, literally.


He had created an installation with florescent lights and metal dry wall studs. We all played like children within the space he had created. It became less about "Why?" was it there, and more "How can I participate with this work?" which is usually my favorite kind of art.



Much of his work seemed to be themed around outer space and science fiction, late 70's early 80's style, while using familiar materials. The work managed to de-contextualize the materials, so they weren't light bulbs, studs, and metal wire casings, but an environment completely on to its own. Old school sci-fi. Or syfy?




AND THERE WERE BLACK LIGHTS which made my neon nails glow. That could have been the best part.
That was probably the best part.

Au Revior Agathe, take two

Just some more lovely photos from a fantastic evening.

Katie spotted Rebecca Turbow! The fabulous fashion designer ala NYC!

Theo!

Julie- always fabulous!

Have a fantastic weekend, and if you're in the BK check out the cherry blossom festival at the Botanical Gardens this weekend. Should be pretty!